


One Day At Lunch...

by Creej



Series: White Collae RPF [4]
Category: White Collar, White Collar RPF
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-11
Updated: 2017-05-11
Packaged: 2018-10-30 16:06:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,093
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10880253
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Creej/pseuds/Creej
Summary: Matt and Tim run into some old/new friends.





	One Day At Lunch...

**Author's Note:**

> Thought I'd do one more RPF with our boys...

"Well, well, here we are again."

Tim and Matt looked up from their menus to see Neal Caffrey. This time it wasn't such a shock to Tim as he'd already met both Neal and Peter - even had drinks with them.

"Have a seat," Matt said.

"Where's Peter?" Tim asked.

"Waiting for Elizabeth," Neal said, sitting next to Matt. "Told him I'd meet them here, grab a table."

"So what's new in the world of white collar crime?" Matt asked.

Neal grimaced. "Not a thing," he said. "Peter has me wading through another mortgage fraud case." He studied the two actors. "What about you?"

"We're still working on White Collar," Matt said. "And no, we're not telling you about the last episode. Or this one."

Neal narrowed his eyes. "That's not fair," he said but there was no heat in the words.

Both Matt and Tim grinned, knowing what he meant. They'd been playing Neal and Peter for five years so they both knew how the con man/consultant was.

"So, Elizabeth knows about us?" Tim asked.

"We told her the basics," Neal said. "Don't think she believes us."

Tim tilted his head a little. "She's practical, pragmatic, not given to flights of fancy," he said. "Even if she is something of a romantic."

"She really looks like Tiffani?" Matt asked curiously.

"As much as you look like me and he looks like Peter," Neal said.

"Who'd you see while you were there?" Tim asked Matt.

Matt thought back - it had been almost a year since he'd taken Neal's place. "June, Moz, Jones, Diana...Hughes. Blake...I think. And Peter, of course," he said.

"You know, I had to keep telling myself that you weren't Peter during that fake fight," Neal said to Tim. "I really wanted to deck him."

"I can understand that," Tim said. "In your place I'd have wanted to. I'm glad you didn't though."

"It would have blown my cover if I had," Neal said. He got a mischievous glint in his eyes as he caught sight of Peter and Elizabeth and Tim and Matt exchanged a grin, looking down at their menus. "Peter! Elizabeth!" Neal waved them over, dragging another seat to the table. He saw Peter's eyes flick to the actors then back, a smile tugging at his mouth.

"Hey, sweety," Elizabeth said, giving Neal a quick kiss on the cheek before noticing the others. "Oh, I didn't realize..." She trailed off as Tim and Matt looked up. "Hon?" she asked, looking somewhat lost as her gaze went from Peter to Tim and back.

"I *did* tell you about them," Peter said as they took seats.

"Yeah, but I thought you were...I don't know...exaggerating," Elizabeth said.

"When have you ever known me to exaggerate?" Peter asked.

"When it comes to Neal," Tim said.

"That wasn't exaggerating and you know it," Peter said. He turned back to his wife. "I wasn't planning on springing this on you, hon," he said. "I didn't even know they were here."

"That's true," Neal said.

"We didn't know either until Neal came by," Matt said. A memory surfaced and he frowned a little. "Did you ever find out why Alex was in town?" he asked Neal.

"Alex? When was this?" Peter asked, interested.

"When I had to be Neal," Matt said.

"Never did find out," Neal said.

"Okay, I have a question," Elizabeth said, eying the two actors. "Well, I have about a million questions but first: just how much *do* you know about us?"

"You want to take that one Matty?" Tim asked.

Matt shot him a very Neal Caffrey look of irritation then smiled. "Sure," he said then turned to Elizabeth. "It's mostly about the cases they've worked on. Personal details, not so much and definitely no intimate details."

"Except for the tattoo on your shoulder," Tim said. "If you're as much like Tiffani as we are to Peter and Neal." By the way Elizabeth opened her mouth to comment then aborted it, Tim knew she also had the tattoo.

"Okay, that's kind of creepy," Elizabeth said, turning her attention to the menu.

Peter laid a hand on her shoulder. "As near as we can tell, physically I'm identical to Tim, Matt's identical to Neal and I guess you're identical to this Tiffani," he said.

"But from what you told me, Matt was able to take Neal's place for two days," Elizabeth said.

"Only because I know Neal as well as I do," Matt said. "Don't ask us how but the writers know you - all of you - and between them and us...we get you."

Elizabeth thought about what he said for a few minutes then shook her head and sighed. "If I think about it too long, I'll go crazy," she said.

"So don't think about it," Neal said with a shrug.

Elizabeth set her menu aside and crossed her arms on the table. "How many times have you met these guys?" she asked Tim.

"This is the third time for Matt and Neal and the second time for me and Peter," he said.

Matt saw her question and answered it. "I met Neal at the end of the second day I took his place," he said. "That's when I found out how close the series was to what actually happened to him."

"And I found out when I was taking his place on the set," Neal said.

"So the two of you are identical, you and Neal," Elizabeth said.

Matt and Neal exchanged a glance. "Well, there *are* a couple major differences," Matt said. "One, I'm married."

"Oh. What's her name?"

"Simon," Matt said.

"Simon?" Elizabeth asked, looking a little confused. "But Simon is..." Her eyes widened. "Oh..." She glanced at Neal.

"And no, Neal is not," Neal said. "We're not *that* much alike."

"One thing I always thought was kind of amusing is, I'm gay but I play Neal who isn't. Marsha is straight but she plays Diana who isn't," Matt said.

"I didn't catch on about Diana until Peter clued me in," Neal said.

"I remember," Tim said, smiling a little. "I believe the line was 'Umm, she'd rather be *wearing* the hat.' I just wish I'd seen your face when you figured it out."

Elizabeth smiled. "I remember Peter telling me," she said. "I told him there was *one* woman Neal couldn't charm."

"You forgot Cruz," Neal said wryly and the others grinned.

Elizabeth regarded the two actors for a moment then said, "I know you've probably been asked this but when did you start playing them? When did the series start?"

"When Neal escaped to look for Kate," Tim said. "And Peter was in the middle of the Dutchman case."

"As for where it is now. they won't say," Neal said, pouting a little but with a glint of amusement in his eyes.

"You know that doesn't work on any of us, right?" Peter asked, amused as well.

"Let me ask this," Matt said. "What was the last big case you've worked?"

"I went undercover as a butler," Neal said. "Why?"

"Master Plan," Tim and Matt said. They had just wrapped up shooting Ice Breaker, where Peter went undercover as a skating coach and Neal as a sports agent. "They're a bit behind us," Tim said.

"So what's next?' Peter asked and Elizabeth swatted him.

"If they won't tell Neal, they won't tell you," she said.

"I've been a bad influence," Neal said a little gleefully.

"Yeah, you have," Matt said, dropping Neal's wallet on the table. The others grinned at Neal's expression of mixed shock and admiration.

"Wait a minute..." Neal checked his pocket and came up empty then grinned at Peter when he reflexively checked his.

"Never thought I'd see it," Elizabeth said. "Someone as good as Neal Caffrey."

"Well, he's still a lot better than I am," Matt said.

"You haven't been at it as long as I have," Neal said.

"When Peter started chasing you, I was working on a soap opera," Matt said. "And when you went to prison I did a move called Flightplan."

"What about you?" Elizabeth asked Tim.

"I did a few episodes of a series called Everwood when Peter was chasing him. When Neal went to prison I'd just wrapped up a series called Carnivale." He shrugged. "Matt's had more steady work than I have."

"I've been lucky," Matt said.

Neal studied them for a moment, looking thoughtful. "The last time we met...did you know about my father?" he asked, sounding merely curious.

"I'd heard rumors," Tim said. "Nothing concrete." He saw Elizabeth's scowl. "It must have been tough for you," he said.

"You could say that," she said. "Having my husband falsely accused of murder..."

"I'm sorry Elizabeth," Neal said. "I shouldn't have brought it up."

Elizabeth sighed. "It's all right," she said. "I can understand you being curious."

The silence turned a little awkward so Matt said, "Tim usually knows more about what's going to happen than I do - like my duet with Diahann...June."

"So you sing too?" Elizabeth asked.

"Sing, dance, act," Tim said. "He's what's known in the business as a triple threat." He nudged his costar, smiling a little at the blush. "I saw that episode of Glee," he said.

"Cooper Anderson," Matt said, smiling as well. "But they had to get a choreographer for me like they did on Chuck."

"Most dancers *do* need a choreographer," Elizabeth pointed out.

"So I shouldn't mention Magic Mike?" Tim asked, brows raised in amusement.

"No," Matt said, trying to scowl around the smile.

"Sounds interesting," Elizabeth said. "Who did you play in that?"

"I played a guy named Ken," Matt said. "And when did this turn into a discussion of my career?"

"I believe it was right after you lifted Neal's wallet," Peter said a little dryly then chuckled when Neal checked his pocket again. "Now you know how I feel."

Neal shot him a look. "Point taken," he said.

"But that won't stop you from doing it again," Tim said.

"Nope," Neal said cheerfully. He saw Elizabeth move her purse a little and added, "Now you know I'd never do that to you."

"Just making sure, sweety," Elizabeth said equitably.

The server finally came to take their orders, not seeming at all fazed by what was apparently two sets of identical twins. When he left, Elizabeth asked, "Any idea how much longer you'll be playing these two?"

Tim and Matt exchanged a glance. "We've been picked up for a sixth season," Tim said. "So at least another year. After that..." He shrugged.

"Depends on the ratings...or the writers," Matt said.

"So it's going well?" Elizabeth asked.

"Well enough," Tim said.

Conversation waned as the server brought their orders. "So, you have kids?" Elizabeth asked once he left.

"I have two, a boy and a girl," Tim said. "Matt has three boys."

"They're a handful," Matt said fondly. "Especially the twins."

"You know we've tried, right?" Elizabeth asked.

"No luck?"

Peter shrugged. "We've wanted kids but we've accepted it might not happen," he said.

Matt leaned over to whisper in Tim's ear. "Maybe we could talk to the writers about that." When Tim looked at him, puzzled, he added, "We don't know if what we do affects them or the other way around." He shrugged. "Couldn't hurt."

Tim nodded. "No, I don't suppose it could," he said. "And they did like my idea about them trading places."

"It *was* one of you dream episodes," Matt said.

"You're talking about that energy fraud case," Peter said.

"Yeah," Tim said. "Nice lift by the way. Even if I say so myself."

"Not as smooth as Matt," Neal said with a faint smirk.

"He was trained by an expert," Peter said. "I was trained by Moz."

"You're saying Moz isn't an expert?" Neal asked, brows raised.

"You scammed him on Find The Lady," Peter reminded him.

"Actually, I had a teacher on set as well," Matt said. "Neal helped me refine my technique."

They noticed Elizabeth looking between Tim and Matt and Peter and Neal. She shook her head. "I can't get over the resemblance," she said.

"Imagine what it's like running into your twin," Peter said.

Elizabeth looked doubtful "I don't know if I'd want to," she said. "And I don't know how you - any of you - can be so calm about it."

"Believe me, it was a shock the first time," Neal said.

"How do you think I felt?" Matt asked. "Seeing my character in real life?"

"Same here," Tim said.

"You don't have look-alikes?" Elizabeth asked.

"I've never seen mine," Tim said. "Except Peter of course."

"We have stand-ins for when they block the shots," Matt said. "Usually someone about our height and build."

"Stunt doubles?" Neal asked interestedly.

"I've only needed one once," Matt said. "For the jump out of the judge's chambers."

"Ah yes, the pink diamond," Peter said. "I knew you were up to something when Cruz told me the arraignment had been moved."

"Isn't he always?" Tim asked, amused.

"Hey!" The protest came from both Neal and Matt and the others chuckled.

Elizabeth propped her chin on a hand, her gaze flitting from one to another, shaking her head a little. "You know, I think I might change my mind," she said. "About wanting to meet my twin."

"Once you get past the weirdness, it's actually kinda fun," Neal said.

"I think getting past the fact that you're considered a fictional character might take a while," Peter said a little wryly.

"But you're not, not really," Matt said. "I'm sure we got some details wrong. And we obviously don't know everything..."

"Like the fact that we know you have a degree in Art History," Tim said to Elizabeth. "But we don't know which college or university."

"Or where you went on your first honeymoon," Matt added.

"Or the first thing Neal stole," Tim said.

"I think there might be some fan fiction out there that speculates on that," Matt said.

"But it wouldn't be canon since the series never said," Tim said. "The youngest we see Neal is when he met Mozzie."

"I was about twenty," Neal said.

"Wait...people write about us?" Elizabeth asked.

"Yeah, there are stories out there based on White Collar and the characters," Matt said.

"Like what?" Elizabeth asked.

Tim sat back, letting Matt field the question. "Gee, thanks Tim," he said then turned back to the others, who looked interested. "Sure you want to know?" he asked.

"Spill," Neal said.

"Well, some are innocuous," Matt said. "Back stories, case fiction, things like that but a lot are more...adult."

"Adult?" Peter asked.

"You mean...?" Neal started, raising his brows.

"Yeah," Matt said. "Usually Peter, you and Elizabeth. Or just you and Peter."

Elizabeth choked as she got it but they couldn't tell if it was laughter or not. "Oh my," she said. "How, exactly, would that work? The three of us?"

"I think it would be better if you read the stories yourself," Matt said, clearly hoping someone would change the subject.

Elizabeth reached across and laid her hand on Matt's. "I'm sorry," she said. "I can only imagine what it was like for you to read those. Especially before you knew about Neal."

Neal leaned over and asked, sotto voce, "What's the website?"

"Neal..." From Peter and Neal gave him a patented innocent look which fooled no one.

"Google it," Matt said.

Peter checked the time and sighed. "As much fun as it was to catch up, Neal and I have to get back to the office," he said.

Neal groaned softly. "More mortgage fraud," he said.

"I'll give you some embezzlement cases for a change of pace," Peter said as he and Neal stood. He gave Elizabeth a quick kiss. "I'll try not to be late."

Elizabeth regarded the two actors for a few minutes then said, "So you know everything they've been through. All the rough times."

"Yeah. Kate, Ellen, Mozzie's shooting, his father," Matt said. "We know Peter's been there for him through all of it."

"And the two of you?"

"What about us?" Tim asked.

"Are you friends or just co-workers?"

Matt smiled. "We kinda hit it off the first time we read together," he said.

"He'd already been cast," Tim said. "So it was on me to make sure we clicked."

"He says yes to my crazy ideas, I say yes to his..." Matt said with a little shrug.

Elizabeth shook her head, a little bemused. "I see it but the resemblance..."

"Neal called it uncanny," Matt said.

"That's one word for it," Elizabeth said. She bit her lip, seeming unsure. "Can you tell me..."

"Tell you what?" Tim asked.

"You said they were a bit behind," Elizabeth said. "That means you know what their next big case is, right?"

Tim and Matt exchanged a look and Tim shrugged. "We don't know when it'll come up for them," he said.

"Up to you," Matt said. "Peter will have more direct contact."

Tim sighed, obviously considering it then said," I won't tell you exactly what happens but I'll give you a hint...or rather ask you a question: how are Peter's hockey skills?"

"It's been a while but I don't think he's that rusty," Elizabeth said. "So their next big case involves hockey?"

"It'll play into it," Tim said.

"You can't say anything to him," Matt said seriously. "Not to either of them."

"I understand," Elizabeth said. She sighed and gathered her things. "Well, it was a pleasure to meet you," she said. "As...odd as it was." She smiled a moment then sobered. "Take care of them. As much as you can."

"We'll do our best," Tim said.

"Before you go..." Matt said, handing her a slip of paper. "If you could give this to Neal..."

"Do I want to know?" Elizabeth asked, brows raised.

"Probably not," Matt said. She nodded and tucked it into her purse. "Take care Elizabeth."

"You too."

Once she was out of earshot, Tim asked, "Do *I* want to know?"

Matt smirked a little. "Just something that'll mess with Neal's head a little," he said. 

Tim stilled. "You didn't."

"Oh yes I did," Matt said. He clapped Tim on the back. "Come on," he said. "I imagine someone's waiting on this table so let's get a jump on the next episode." They paid their bill then Matt asked with a grin as they strolled down the street, "So, have you ever had to deal with an ex-girlfriend?"

**Author's Note:**

> I know, I gave a plug to a lot of Tim's and Matt's other work but hey, why not? ;) I also got a lot of information from ImDB and the White Collar Live Chat that they did after Season One. I have an idea for another RPF. Let me know in the comments if you want to hear it.


End file.
